Last season the play of Amare Stoudemire was at a career low. His shot was very inconsistent and he would have to work to the hoop in order to get baskets. He went through the death of his brother and many injury issues. His back would become an issue and he would sit out weeks with a bulging disc.
Injuries really took Stoudemire out of any rhythm. The added weight from the offseason to strengthen his back, caused his back to flare up. Scoring 17.5 points per game, Stoudemire really couldn’t score consistently to get the job done. Not only was his offense a struggle, but his defense was even worse. He struggled to guard at times and would get beat by the other offensive player. That could have been from the added weight which caused him to be slower recovering on the defensive end.
What to Expect
This season Stoudemire will get back to his old self. He seems ready to take the next step. This offseason Stoudemire worked out with Hakeem Olajuwon. Mike Woodson wanted Stoudemire to develop a post game and Stoudemire was willing to make that change to his offensive game. This small move to get better shows that Stoudemire is trying to make the Knicks better.
Expect Stoudemire to average anywhere from twenty one points to twenty three points per game. This is year that Stoudemire will get his respect back and show everyone that he is still a threat on the offensive end. His rebounding should be better this season, with him averaging from ten to eleven boards a game. The Knicks need him to rebound to finish off defensive stops.
Defensively Stoudemire should be much better. His weight is down and he seems to be in better shape. His defense on other power forwards is important to the team. Blocked shots will be higher with his added speed. This Knicks defense will be very tough if Stoudemire plays with the intensity he has shown in the past.
His game should be much better in the aspect of him and Carmelo Anthony working much better together. Not to mention his reunion with Raymond Felton. Those two played the pick and roll perfectly at times and really took it to other teams. He is still a offensive power house, but he has to prove it to the city and his team.
Photo Credit: Jesse D. Garrabrant/NBAE via Getty Images
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